FM Tochigi Broadcasting Co., Ltd. carries out a broadcasting business in Tochigi Prefecture and part of the Kanto region. It is primarily known as its second name, ‘Radio Berry’. It is always called “RADIO BERRY” in its own station broadcast program. ‘Radio’ expresses the attitude of pursuing the information and music that listeners want , regardless of the frame of FM or AM , and ‘Berry’ is named after the specialty ” strawberry ” in Tochigi Prefecture. Recently, it became possible to listen to its broadcasting all over Japan through the application named ‘Radiko’.
Traffic information, weather information, and headline news for the number of minutes produced by the company, such as 55 minutes per hour, also are broadcasted during the time between network programs. In-house produced programs often include projects other than music, such as regional information, and it is also characterized by the fact that there are many local small and medium-sized commercial companies, probably because it is a station in the commercial city of Utsunomiya. In addition, there are relatively many public recordings from shopping centers and outlet malls in the prefecture. Furthermore, it gives public live concerts every year.
On the other hand, compared to the 1990s, advertising revenue has decreased and repayment of new office building construction costs has put pressure on management, and the deficit has continued. Radio Berry mainly makes profits from the mail-order site companies. By broadcasting advertisements on products sponsored by the tele-marketing companies, it earns advertising revenue. However, the listener, who decided to buy the product after the broadcast, buys it on the direct site, there is no margin of sale for the broadcasting company.
The fact that Japanese listeners have been very interested in Korean information, such as music, trends, food, and culture proved to be a turning point for Radio Berry. Young Japanese women are especially attracted to K-pop and K-beauty. Radio Berry is now attempting to get together with Los Angeles Times Asia Journal which has accumulated a lot of business information about South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises. By garnering information about Korea from LA Times Asia Journal and adopting a new business model, Radio Berry is expected to introduce substantive changes itself.
Mike Choi
Asia Journal
(Los Angeles Times Advertising Supplement)
